Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-18
4 VISIT TO WICHITA.

The Young Arkansas River valley Giant
Still Growing.
From the Springfield mo Herald.
A representative of the Herrld visited
the kansas Wonder" Wednesday for the
purpose of attending the annual meeting of
the Kansas and Missouri Associated Press.
After the business OF the meeting was trans
acted, the Wichita EAGLE, over which
Marsh Murdoch yields the scepter, invited
1t is needless to say it was served in princely
style and Murdoch did the honors in
breezy, open way, suggestive of the NOV
ing spirit of the atmosphere from which
he draws his inspiration. Fourteen news
paper men sat down at the table, among
whom was included the talented and sec
eessful chief executive of the state, Gov
ernOr Martin.
After discussing, as thoroughly as the
ravenous appetites of the guests would al
low, the splendid spread which wise
forethought had provided, the party en-
tered carriages provided by live board of
trade and were driven over the city.
1t has been much praised and somewhat
abused. 1t deserves all the praise, and, as
far as we could see, but little of the abuse.
The people of Wichita, without regard to
their length of residence in the town, are of
one mind touching anything which affects
their veal or woe. With them there is no
difference between determining to do
thing and doing it, and their faith in the
result is something sublime. They never
discount the enjoyment which comes from
the success of the present by borrow
ing from possible disappointments in the
future. They believe in making the
best apparent possible use of today and
looking after the wants of tomorrow when
it comes. They follow a somewhat aged
but wise proverb which says, Never cross
a bridge till you come to it." Besides they
have been liberal toward strangers of all
classes, adopting early in the struggle the
enticing motto: Everything goes at
Wichita" Under the operation of this
liberal policy society may not at all times
have been up to the standard required by
the most fastidious and refined, but it
sowed the seed, and the town is reaping the
harvest. 1t gave Wichita a name and
character which has been made to aid the
wonderful development of the recent past
and present.
Back of all this, however, has been and
is the extraordinary unanimity which pre-
| walls among the people, and it is more than
| a union of consent-it is a union of active
effort. 1t is not mere negative union-it
! is positive and aggressive. 1t moves upon
obstacles with a will which would be as
difficult to checkmate as to resist. II
money is need, they raise money. If in
fuence is wanted, they have it ready at
hand They don't care blizzard whether
it is long or short haul so it leads to
Wichita. For fifteen years, the EAGLE,
from its roOst in Cottonwood or the
Arkansas. in the confines of a tent on its
banks of sand or from its elegant perch
on the finished tower, where it keeps watch
and ward over the editors
boudoir beneath, has screamed GLORY
glory glory From the era of the cow
bows to the cultivation and refinement of
the present, its repertoire has contained no
other song.
The result has been blazoned everywhere
and would have been painted in living red
across the face of the Bonded heavens if
the language had not been little mixed
before the scaffolding was completed.
Considering its age the town is indeed q
wonder. Thousands of houses are in pro-
cess of erection, among them half a dozen
colleges and sixteen or eighteen large bust
ness blocks from three to five stories each
in height. The face of the earth for miles
in the country is covered with new houses,
foundations for houses, and materials for
building
Garfield university. which is being built
by the Christian church, will be one of the
largest and finest buildings in the state of
Kansas. The design of the architect is
elaborate and elegant, and when complet
ed the building will stand 900 by $50 feet,4
stories high, open basement which is above
the surface, making it practically 5 stories.
To complete it they have a quarter of a
million dollars already in bank. The pub
lie spirit of Wichita secured the money
The Young Mems Christian Association
wanted a building, and it took an hour to
raise SAT, OOO These are samples 'of the
fruit gathered during the drive.
When the EAGLE got ready to move into
its new Office, the citizens insisted On fur
nishing it, which they did at q cost of over
two thousand dollars, and made it as fine
as a parlor They do not discuss the pro-
position of whether this or that enterprise
will build new business center They do
not care how many business centers are
made so long as they are in Wichita.
Hence they encourage everybody who
wants to put money in Wichita real estate
or business of any kind, without asking
him which end or side of the town be in
tends to locate in. This spirit may have
something to do with building cities any
where regardless of the natural advantages
they possess.
SKELETONS. SHELLS AND LOGS.